For the exception of the Mets trade of Cy Young award winner RA Dickey, the Mets have done little to address needs the team has going into the 2013 season. It is safe to say the team is not ready to compete for the coming year. The glaring needs the team has in the outfield and in the bullpen may or may not be addressed through conventional free agency or trade. Similar to my earlier suggestion of signing free agent Ryan Spilborghs to a minor league contract to give him a chance to become a poor man's Scott Hairston, I will assume the Mets are only interested in bringing players who either make no money or will come to NY for nothing. I will feel differently when proven otherwise. That being said, here are three pitchers the Mets can bring in on minor league contracts and simply get rid of if they do not help out.

Rafael Perez LHP Indians: Perez was an important part of the Indians bullpen in 2010 and 2011. He lost 2012 due to injury and will not be brought back by Cleveland. He pitched 70+ games for each of his last two healthy seasons, and would be a solid pick up to replace Tim Byrdak, who could miss all of 2013. A reason Perez may be had for a minor league deal is there are questions over whether Perez will be ready for spring training. To me, it is a chance worth taking.Chris Volstad RHP Royals/ Cubs: Volstad was taken with the 16th pick in the 2005 draft by the Florida Marlins, the same draft the Mets took Mike Pelfrey. With Pelfrey going to the Twins, a cheaper 26 year old with still some upside should be considered. Last year, he was just 3-12, 6.31 with the Cubs and still has minor league options if it is a matter of getting this guy back on track. It was only 2010 when he was 12-9, 4.58 in 175 IP for the Marlins. Pelfrey got paid because he pitched well before his injury. Volstad will end up with a minor league contract because he has digressed over the past two seasons. It cannot hurt.Juan Oviedo RHP Marlins: Oviedo missed all of last season due to his intentionally mistaken identitiy. He managed over 30 saves over both the 2010 and 2011 seasons. His strikeout to walk ratio went down over those two seasons and there are questions of him being as effective after a full season lay off. He should be had on a deal similar to the other two pitchers, with perhaps some performance incentives to sweeten the deal. If the Mets add these three pitchers, it will cost them nothing. None may help, but at least it will create some possibilities. To simply give a spot in the rotation to Jenrry Mejia and bullpen spots to Robert Carson and Jeurys Familia is not responsible. I know that many "want to see the kids", but I prefer to see them earn their spot on the team, not take an empty space that is given to them.

Obviously, this offseason, more than the previous two, has left New York Mets fans completely in the dark as far as their offseason moves are concerned. The stalling in the negotiations with 3B David Wright and RHP RA Dickey have given fans the feeling it will be a long offseason. GM Sandy Alderson has stated, in the few times he has addressed offseason moves, that the Mets are more likely to use the trade market as opposed to free agency to address the most important needs. So, once again, it seems the Mets may be interested in potentially prying players off the "dollar rack". (Which, by the way, they did not even try to do last offseason.) So, while this is no attempt on my part to say this should overtake the priority of adding more proven and sound players, I once again, have listed a group of players who are lower risk, higher reward type players who can give the Mets something if they perform to their greatest capabilities. If the Mets are to compete in 2013, they need to address needs in the outfield, catcher and in the bullpen. That has to be done in addition to these potential bargains if the Mets want to compete in any way. Just as a reminder, here is my article I wrote on the day after Thanksgiving last year.

Not to stear this discussion in another direction, but the Mets have to address the Wright situation (I prefer to see him extended) as well as set themselves with major league calibur players in the outfield and behind the plate. That, if it is addressed at all, should be done through trades and possibly signing a player below market value. Jeff Keppinger had a breakout season as a utility player for the Tampa Bay Rays last season. He hit .325 (125-385), 9, 40 playing 2B, 3B and SS. Though he made his MLB debut with the Mets, he may command a little more money than others, but he could be had for less than $4 million being he made $1.53 million last season. Yuniesky Betancourt is coming off a down season with Kansas City where he did not play every day. Prior to that, he was an everyday SS for KC in 2010 and Milwaukee in 2011. He made just $2 million last season, and can likely be had for that or less for 2013. To me, he is an upgrade over Ronny Cedeno and can put up some decent numbers at SS or 2B. Brandon Lyon may have gotten himself a decent contract with his strong finish in Toronto. He was 4-2, 3.10 in 67 games, striking out 63 batters in 61 innings for the Astros and Blue Jays. He is coming off a 3 year, $15 million contract with Houston that did not necessarily work out. He should be had on a 1 year contract paying less than he made annually the last three seasons. Juan Cruz has been an enigma on so many levels. He has had some good seasons, struggled in other occasions, but ultimately has not been able to stick with any one organization. He was 1-1, 2.78 in 43 games, striking out 33 in 35 2/3 IP with Pittsburgh in 2012. However, he was released after the Pirates fell out of contention and was not picked up by anybody afterwards. He made $1.25 million last year, and perhaps could sign a deal for around the same for 2013. The first three players I mentioned should draw interest from other teams but could be in play for the Mets. This next group of players will be risks in some way because they have struggled to retain form the had years ago. But they can all be had on either minor league contracts or one year deals with low base salaries similar to what Alderson has been dishing out. Grady Sizemore missed the entire 2012 season sitting on a $5 million deal he got from Cleveland. Nobody will come near that for this season. Perhaps a minor league or $1+ million offer for the 2013 season may entice Sizemore. Will he return to the 2006-1008 version when he was one of the top CFs in the AL? Probably not, but he would be a good player to take a chance on for that money. Marlon Byrd is a free agent coming off a tough three years after signing for $15 million with the Cubs. After a 3-43 start in Chicago, he finished off hitting .210, 1, 9 with the Cubs and Red Sox. He is expected to be available on a minor league contract with some incentives. Chris Snyder looked like a solid all around catcher during his time in Arizona. He has struggled the last two seasons in Pittsburgh and Houston, finishing off a .176 (39-221), 7, 24 season with the Astros. While he is not the answer as a starting catcher at this point, his upside should make a minor league offer worth considering from both sides. Xavier Nady still has a lot of fans from his cameo with the Mets in 2006. Though he is not the same player, he hit better with the Giants in the second half of the season after a rough start in Washington. Overall, he hit .184 (28-152), 4, 13 for the season and would be worth a minor league contract with a spring invite. Ryan Spilborghs had some success in Colorado for several seasons, in spite of not playing in the major leagues last season. Playing in AAA for Texas and Cleveland, Spilborghs hit .288 (131-455), 9, 68 and could be a cheap replacement for Scott Hairston. Perhaps a Nady/ Spilborghs battle in spring training can allow the Mets to use that money to fill other needs. (This is assuming the Mets plan to address their OF needs as mentioned earlier.) Among relievers who can be had for little, Todd Coffey is coming off a disappointing and injured season in LA. He was signed for $1 million, and was 1-0, 4.66 in 23 games, striking out 18 batters in 19 1/3 IP while missing most of the season. Hong-Chih Kuo went to spring training with Seattle last season, but did not pitch in 2012. His upside includes his All Star 2010 season in LA, making him an option as a minor league invite. Hisanori Takahashi was terrible in his two seasons with the Angels, finishing off last season in Pittsburgh. He proved to be nowhere near worth the $8 million, two year contract he got after he left the Mets. However, when he signed a minor league deal with the Mets he shined in 2010, both as a starter and reliever. Why not give him a shot on a similar deal? This article was not meant to get Mets fans excited. In my opinion though, moves like this will give fans some hope. The task at hand has been set for Alderson, who I feel must put his stamp on this team. None of the moves I mentioned will have any impact on any better moves the Mets hopefully will make. But if the Mets can have for little to nothing, Betancourt, Nady/ Spilborghs, Snyder, Coffey, Kuo and Takahashi along with the possibility of Sizemore, the Mets will still be able to use what little resources they have to address the outfield, catcher and bullpen.